


Collar

by ThatGoblin



Series: The Pack [15]
Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: BDSM, Bondage, Collars, Daddy Dom Rhett McLaughlin, Dom Link, Dom Link Neal, Dom Rhett McLaughlin, F/M, Gen, M/M, Panic Attacks, Praise Kink, Subspace
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:33:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23853883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatGoblin/pseuds/ThatGoblin
Summary: Wren's mental health comes to a head and Link figures out how to help.
Relationships: Link Neal/Original Female Character(s), Rhett McLaughlin & Link Neal, Rhett McLaughlin/Link Neal, Rhett McLaughlin/Link Neal/Original Female Character(s), Rhett McLaughlin/Original Female Character(s)
Series: The Pack [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1699129
Comments: 5
Kudos: 14





	Collar

My parents were telling me to come home. For good.

Dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer and was homebound, mom couldn’t work the cattle by herself, and they were going to have to sell the ranch if they didn’t get help. The boys were out tending to our own herd when my mom had called. It had been nearly three months since I’d spoken to her and she called me, telling me to come home to help. I wanted to scream at her, tell her it was their problem and they should have thought of that before they decided to drop me off across the state and left. 

I didn’t. I could get mean and bitter with my parents, but when they told me to do something this big, no matter how much I didn’t want to do it, I couldn’t say no. Instead, I told them I’d discuss it with my mates and get a plan together. Mom ignored it all together and said she’d be waiting for me that weekend. We hung up after that. It was tempting to throw my phone and break it, to never speak to them again, but I sat at the table, turning the phone over in my hands as I tried to calm myself down.

Peggy shoved her head into my lap to get my attention. She was good about picking up on my energy and always knew when I needed her. 

“Hey girl,” I said, trying to take a breath as angry tears began to roll down my face. She whined, licking at my face as I felt my chest tightened and my stomach clench. It was a panic attack coming on and I never knew how to handle them. I’d get testy with the boys and snap, walking off to calm down by myself, but it took so long. It would just have to pass on its own and I was at its mercy. Peggy helped though. Her licks and whines, pawing at me when I tried to curl into a ball kept me from losing it completely. 

I began to gasp for breath as it became hard to breathe. My body wouldn’t let me function as I slid to the ground to bury my face in Peggy’s fur. I shook and sobbed, feeling my head get light and my vision disconnected from what I was seeing. That wasn’t good. That had never happened before. As much as I tried to take a deep breath, I couldn’t catch it, only able to get a wheezing breath as my body shook uncontrollably till I couldn’t stay sitting up. 

Falling over, Peggy began to bark and lick at my face before I suddenly blacked out. 

“Wren.” 

The voice sounded far away, but sprinkles of cool water were bringing me back quickly. 

“Wren, Darlin’, I need you to wake up.” 

My eyes fluttered open before closing for a moment. It was hard to focus and keep my eyes open, but I was able to finally keep them open long enough to see Link leaning over me. Worry etched into his face as I came to. A cool, wet rag was pressed to the back of my neck as Link helped me sit up. My body was still shaky, making it awkward a bit as I held onto him. 

“Easy, easy,” Link said softly. “I gotcha.” It was a moment of feeling air enter my lungs without hindrance that I was able to fully grasp my surroundings. Rhett was standing close by with Leo, both with the same worried look of Link. “Wren, how many fingers am I holding up?” 

“ . . . 3,” I said after a moment. I wasn’t dizzy anymore, mostly confused and groggy, like I had woken up from a nap and slept through the day into the night. “3 fingers.”

“Good girl,” Link said as he slowly helped me to my feet then to a chair at the table where I had been. “Thanks Leo, we got it from here.”

“No problem. Call if you guys need anything,” Leo said with a nod before leaving. 

“Rhett can you get us a glass of water?” Link asked as he pulled a chair over to sit next to me. 

“Yeah,” Rhett said as he went to the kitchen. 

“Darlin’, you with me?” Link asked, getting my attention as he gingerly poked around my head. 

“Yeah, I’m here,” I said softly. I was exhausted and felt awful. “How’d you guys get up here so fast?”

“We were out with the cattle and Leo was coming over to drop some stuff off that Viv made for us. Peggy was damn near breaking the door down when he got there and saw you. Leo opened the door and Peggy came bolting out to us. We got up here to see Leo checking on you,” Link said. “What happened?”

“I. . . I passed out,” I said. “I was having one of my fits and it was bad enough this time that I passed out.”

“Wren,” Link said as Rhett brought the glass of water to me. “We need to get you to see a doctor. You can’t keep having these if they’re getting worse.”

“I’m not seeing a doctor,” I said. “It’s just sometimes I get really stressed and-”

“And then you pass out,” Link said. “What happens if next time we’re not here? What if it’s while on a horse or while you’re driving, Wren? We were lucky that you were at home and Peggy was here. Next time we might not be so lucky.”

“I can handle it,” I snapped. 

“Sweetheart, I know you want to think that, but you can’t,” Rhett said, pushing the water to me. “That’s okay. Your body is doing something really hard and it takes a lot out of ya, but this isn’t just getting upset and going to another room to calm down. You could have been really hurt.” 

“Do you know what triggered it?” Link asked. They both looked at me, letting me take my time as I sipped the water. It helped, especially with how dry my mouth felt. “You always have a trigger for these fits. We know that. Do you know what it was?”

“My parents want me to come home for good,” I said, feeling that tightness creep back. “Dad’s dying and mom can’t take care of the herd by herself so they’re expecting me to move home this weekend and stay.”

“I think the fuck not,” Rhett said with a snort. “I’m sorry, but you’re not moving back. You live here with us. They left you here and shipped your stuff here. They made their choice and they’re not gonna yo-yo you like that.”

“Rhett,” Link said, reaching over to take Rhett’s hand. “What do you want to do, Wren?”

“I wanted to scream no and tell them off, but mom didn’t give me a choice. She said I was moving back this weekend and if I don’t. . . I don’t know,” I said with a sigh. Rhett’s outburst did help. It meant that I wasn’t going to be suddenly ejected from my new life with them. 

“Just to make it clear, you don’t want to move back home, right?” Link asked. He was good like that, making sure everything was communicated well. Without him Rhett and I probably would have murdered each other long ago. 

“I do not want to move back home,” I said. “I don’t want anything to do with them, honestly.”

“Alright then,” Link nodded. “You’re not moving back then.” The small declaration from Link, stating plain and simple, that I wasn’t leaving made me feel safe and kept me from panicking again. “You’re still going to the doctor’s though.”

“Link-” I started to protest, but he cut me off.

“No, you’re going,” he said sternly. “You need help. The kind that Rhett or I can’t give you.” I was quiet a moment, getting pissed off, but he was right. I couldn’t keep going like this and the boys couldn’t give me the help I needed. 

“Alright, I’ll go,” I said. “I’ll make an appointment in the morning.”

“Thank you,” Link said. “I’ll go finish the chores. Rhett stay here with Wren.” There was no room for argument as Link stood up and left the house. Link was in charge, no matter what was happening. Even if he shared all responsibilities with us, he had the final say and we were okay with that. 

The rest of the evening went as normal, dinner, showers, TV, then bed. When morning came, things just settled back into a routine. I made my call to the doctor and set up an appointment before setting my phone on silent to ignore any communication with my parents. It was what I could handle for the time and I was not going to have another fit over them. The day went by in a blur, nothing special to be said or done. My doctor’s appointment was on Friday, so Link would take me to town while Rhett helped Viv and Leo with their herd. 

The rest of the week followed in the same way. We stuck to routine that helped me feel calmer and more in control. I needed it, especially with the appointment coming up. The drive to the appointment was quiet as I chewed on my lip while bouncing my leg. Link kept one hand on the wheel while the other held my hand. It was helpful to an extent. At the doctor’s appointment, Link sat with me as the doctor introduced himself and went over my vitals before we were able to discuss everything. 

At first he nodded and listened, but then it was like he mentally checked out. He prescribed an anti-anxiety medication and said to contact a therapist. There wasn’t discussion about any other treatments and that was that. Link didn’t butt in, wanting to be supportive of me taking charge, but when the doctor talked to him to confirm everything I wanted yell. I wasn’t lying about anything, but the doctor seemed to trust Link over me. Even then, he handed me off to someone else with just some meds. 

The ride home after picking up my medication, I was pissed. All I could do was just stew in my anger and frustration over the situation. I felt failed and broken because I was given 15 minutes and a bandaid was slapped on me before shoving me off on someone else. Coming home, Link tried to release a calming scent, but I was too riled up. He wanted me to make an appointment with the therapist I was referred to, but I wouldn’t look at him. Everything was coming to a boil and I was about to lose it. 

“Wren,” Link said as we got home. “Just take a deep breath-”

“No!” I snapped, jumping out of the truck and slamming the door. “I told you! I told you it wouldn’t do any good!”

“Wren! Come back here! Talk to me!” Link called after me. My phone went off in my hands and I nearly threw it at him. It was my parents. Calling again to demand I come home. 

“Shut up!” I screamed. I slammed my phone to the table as I threw my jacket down. The panic and the anger were bubbling over as I started to lose it again. This time when I went to stomp off, Link stopped me. He pulled me to him with my back to his chest as he held me tight. I struggled against him, swearing and nearly hitting him, but the moment his hand went around my throat, to hold it there, I felt this wave of calm wash over me. Leaning back against him, Link kept his hold on me as I held onto him. He wasn’t hurting me or forcing me down, but the feeling of his arm around me, pinning my body to his paired with his large hand around my neck just did something and I was suddenly a kitten in his arms instead of a raging tiger. 

It was the weight and hold that grounded me. Instead of floating off into the abyss, his hold kept me still and in the present. All thoughts of panic, danger, fear, just left with that grasp. I couldn’t explain it, but it was like a switch flipped inside me. My phone eventually stopped ringing as Link held me, letting me calm down.

“We’re gonna go to the play room, okay?” He said gently. 

“Okay,” I nodded. I didn’t feel the need to fight him or argue. Following him to the playroom, I didn’t know what he was going to do, but I trusted him. Once we were there, he closed the door behind us. 

“Strip,” he said. His own switch flipped when we entered the room. Yes, Link was always dominant, but in this room he was The Dominant. Doing as I was told, I stripped then folded my clothes to set aside. “Good girl, kneel.” Link turned his back to me as he moved to the wall to get the ropes he desired. Coming back, he pulled my arms behind my back to tie my wrists to my elbows with soft, red rope. 

He continued to tie it into knots up my biceps and across my chest, around my breasts. Helping me lay on my back, he used more rope to connect the knots on my upper torso down my belly and around my groin. Link finished with knots around my thighs, tying my ankles to my thighs. He put me back on my knees before braiding the last bit of the rope then secured it around my neck. The feel of the rope holding me in place replaced Link’s hands, sending me into a headspace that was familiar. I hadn’t actually been completely under like that though. The rope around my throat finished me off. 

Kneeling there at Link’s feet bound like that had me floating. I didn’t feel the panic or the anger or anything other than that moment. Peace just filled me as Link pulled a chair over, sitting in front of me before moving closer to put me between his legs. His hands gently guided my head to rest in his lap, sending me over further. There was nothing outside of the room, outside of the ropes binding me. I couldn’t think of anything else other than Link’s hands stroking my hair as I practically purred. 

Time wasn’t a concern as we stayed there, not talking or doing anything else really. It was like I was in a trance. Half way between sleep and awake. The only movement was Link’s hand through my hair and our breathing. When there was a small knock at the door, I mewled softly as Link stood. He hushed me gently, letting me lay my head back down in his chair as he stepped out of the room for a moment. Even kneeling there and being bound kept me under. It was probably the calmest I’d been in a long while. Probably before even moving in with the boys. Link stepped back in a moment later, kneeling next to me. His fingers ran over the knots, coaxing me back as he slowly untied me. 

“Okay Darlin’, we’re done for right now, but we’re gonna take our time. I know you feel real good and I’m gonna help ya keep it,” he said softly. I nodded as his nimble fingers made easy work of the rope. The further up my body he went, the more I became aware and had thoughts coming to mind. Not many, but enough to be able to move when he requested. There were indentions and red marks from where the rope had pressed into my skin. I felt over my thighs once my hands were free and shuddered. 

When it was just the collar left, I grabbed Link’s hand to stop him. He raised his brows, waiting for me to say what I wanted. Communication. Link liked communication.

“Can I keep the collar on, Sir?” I asked softly. 

“Of course,” he said, smiling at me. Rope put aside, he pulled me into his lap in the chair to begin rubbing my body as the blood flow returned to normal. “You were such a good girl. Did this time out help?” He asked, cooing over me.

“Mhmm,” I nodded. “It helped a lot, Sir.” Being fully nude while Link was fully clothed felt good. I could take in the texture of his jeans and shirt pressed to my skin and relaxed me further. “Thank you for this, Sir.”

“You’re very welcome, Darlin’,” Link said, kissing my head. “Do you want to keep the collar on for the rest of the evening?”

“Uh-huh,” I nodded. “It helps.”

“Good,” Link said with a hum. We sat there a bit longer, taking our time as he kept praising me and comforting me till I was able to come out of the headspace I’d been in fully. “Ready for dinner? Rhett made pizza.”

“Yes, Sir,” I said. I moved to get up, but Link held me still. I looked at him curiously as he looked at me.

“I want to try something tonight with your permission,” he said. “Would you like to stay in this headspace for the evening? Rhett and I will feed you, bath you, take care of you. In return you’ll be at our feet and do as we say.” It was a quick decision, but I let the scenerio play through my head a moment before nodding. “Verbal answer, Darlin’.”

“Yes, please,” I said. To empty out my thoughts and ignore everything else because my Alphas took over for me was enticing. I trusted them to take care of me, to keep me safe. 

“Good girl. Now, stay on all fours like a good girl,” Link said, helping me to the ground. He opened the door and led me back upstairs to the open first floor. It was night time, meaning everything was locked up and we were in our own world. Rhett looked over as Link and I entered the first floor from the basement. “Wren’s going to be a good sub for the evening.”

“Ah, okay,” Rhett said with a nod in understanding. “Dinner’s ready and on the table.” The other Alpha didn’t bat an eyelash as I walked on all fours to kneel at the table between them. They talked to each other as if it was a regular dinner, hand feeding me bites of pizza between them. Peggy, the ever lazy one, just stayed in her spot by the fireplace before Rhett fed her. 

“Okay Darlin’, I know you don’t want to, but it’s medicine time,” Link said, getting my anxiety meds out to give me. As much as I didn’t want to take them, I didn’t want to disobey Link and Rhett. I wanted to be their good girl. I opened my mouth and let him place the small white pill on my tongue before washing it back with the water. “Good girl. You did such a good job with dinner and your medicine,” Link cooed, stroking my hair as I leaned into the touch. I purred as I pressed to his leg, laying my head in his lap as Rhett cleared the table. Every bit of praise that Link gave, I ate up. “I’m gonna go shower, you stay here with Rhett.” I nodded before looking to Rhett who smiled and patted his lap to call me over.

On all fours, I crawled over to him in the recliners as he spread his legs. Helping me to sit in his lap, he wrapped his arms around me as he turned on the TV. Pressed to his chest, I listened to his heartbeat, finding it comforting and soothing. It lulled me back into that headspace before as Rhett stroked my back and thighs. He too whispered soft words of praise, making me purr in delight as I nuzzled against his neck. Link was soon out of the shower and on the sofa, letting Rhett take me upstairs to bathe. 

At the stairs, I paused though. It was where the guy who broke in had grabbed me and pinned me. I was back in that same spot in a vulnerable position. Rhett was already at the top of the stairs as I began to shake, my headspace going sideways. 

“Come on Sweetheart, you can do it,” Rhett said from the top of the stairs. “Come on. You’re such a good girl. It’s just stairs. You can get up them. Come on.”

“Go on, Darlin’,” Link chimed in. “It’s okay. You can do it. Go on.” Their tones were as if I were a dog, but I didn’t feel patronized. They wanted me to do this and were cheering me on. I took another second of listening to them before making it the rest of the way up the stairs. 

“Good girl!” Rhett grinned, clapping as Link joined in downstairs. “That was such a big job for you, but you did so good.” His hands ran over me, stroking and petting as he continued to praise me. I couldn’t help the beaming smile as I rubbed against him, enjoying myself so much. 

In the bathroom, Rhett showered first, having me kneel on a towel as he stripped and washed up. Then it was my turn. He ran a bath for me instead, dumping some of the specialty soap Viv had given us into it. It made the water milky white and smelled of flowers and vanilla. I absolutely loved it while the boys didn’t care so much for it. 

“In you go, Sweetheart,” Rhett said, holding my hand as I stepped into the water to settle into it. “Let’s take your collar off for the bath. I promise we’ll put it back on afterwards.” His fingers untied the collar before carefully setting it on the sink. Wetting a washcloth, he began to wash me. It was coming so naturally to us to do this, to have my mate care for me in such a way that I was humming softly the whole time. Rhett carefully washed my hair, making sure to keep soap from my eyes before letting me lay back in the tub. “There we go,” he said softly, stroking over my body. 

His fingers were soft under the water, grazing my skin to touch my sensitive parts that he knew so well. In moments, he had me panting softly as he stroked my snatch. I whined, holding onto the tub and his arm as he coaxed me closer to an orgasm before suddenly stopping. 

“Shh, shh,” he hushed me as I whimpered. “Don’t worry, Daddy and Sir will make sure you’re taken care of tonight at bed. Okay?”

“Okay,” I nodded. 

“Say, ‘Okay Daddy,’” Rhett said, his eyes on me as I looked up at him. 

“Okay, Daddy,” I said, smiling as Rhett beamed. 

“Good girl. Let’s get you dried off.” He helped me from the tub before wrapping me up in a big, fluffy towel. Drying me off, he made sure to hurry so I didn’t get cold before putting my collar back on. Wrapped in the towel, Rhett picked me up bridal style to carry me down stairs. He didn’t want me falling if I tried to go down on all fours. Settled into our usual spots, Link on the couch next to Rhett and me in the floor as Rhett combed my hair. He even braided it back from my face before I rested my head against his knee. Link’s foot was next to me and without thinking, I picked it up to start rubbing it. The whole thing threw me back to my first night there, but that was what I needed.

That solid foundation of being with my boys, letting them care for me and being okay with it. I wasn’t weak or needy. They knew that and I didn’t have anything to prove to them. 

Also I was pretty sure the anxiety meds had kicked in, making me zone out easily as I rubbed Link’s foot as we watched TV. Maybe that doctor’s visit wasn’t as fruitless as I had made it out to be. 

“Come on, bed time,” Rhett said, patting my shoulder as he picked up the towel I’d discarded. I looked up and nodded, letting Link’s foot go before getting to my hands and knees. Rhett led the way with Link bringing up the rear, both praising me as I went up the stairs without stopping that time. Peggy stayed downstairs by the fireplace, her bed already moved there. 

Rhett and Link both stripped before letting me get into the bed. All three of us laid there a moment before Link touched my collar.

“Darlin’, I’m gonna take this off now. You’ve been such a good girl this whole evening, but I’m gonna need you to be present. Okay?” Link said.

“Yes Sir,” I said, nodding. His fingers took the rope off, leaving my throat feeling naked without it. “Thank you,” I said, sighing softly as they both pressed close. “I. . . I didn’t know how badly I needed that.”

“It’s okay,” Link said softly, cupping my face and stroking my cheek with his thumb. “I wanted you to get what you were needing. It took some time, but I recognized it. Rhett’s the same way sometimes. Mostly when we’re cooped up. You both are a lot alike and I’m sorry it took me a bit longer to realize that.”

“Not your fault,” I said, feeling Rhett nuzzle into the back of my neck. I reached back, pulling him close as I could. “It’ll get better. I’ll see the doctors and therapists. I wanna be better for you two.”

"We want to be better for you too, Sweetheart," Rhett said. "But we need to talk more. We can't hide from each other and hope for the best."

"I know," I said with a nod. "I know. I'll talk more. I'll learn how to talk more."

"We just want you to be happy and healthy," Link said, leaning in to kiss me softly. That was more than I could say about my own parents. These two truly cared for me and after everything, they didn't waiver.

"I love you," I said, sniffling as I held onto them both. "I love you both, so much."

"We love you, Wren," Link hummed softly.

"Both of us love you," Rhett said with a kiss to my shoulder. "Now get some rest, you've had a big day."

"Yes, Daddy," I said, calming down again as I snuggled between them both. Under the covers, we all quickly feel asleep, once more tangled with each other.

**Author's Note:**

> WELL GUESS WHO NEARLY LOST EVERYTHING CAUSE GOOGLE DOC IS SATAN? THIS BITCH! but i got it back and I promise there will be more plot driven stories along the way. Not just smut. Lol


End file.
